Not So Obedient
by Kinda-Mayvelle
Summary: TPverse. Midna had always thought of humans as obedient, but she recently learns that it might have been a good idea to reserve judgement. Link refuses to obey this time, and in doing so it may cost him his life. Sorta MidnaLink, rated for lang.
1. Stupid Human

**Not So Obedient**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TP, though if I did it definitely would have ended differently. (Midna/Link, whoo!)_

* * *

Pain.

That was the first feeling he experienced upon awareness, the inexplicable and unbearable sensation of not being completely whole. The edges of his vision were pitch black as the Twilight through which he had stumbled, once, at a time that he could not manage to recall. The rest was hazy, a patched up quilt of blurs and moving things, shadowy and as indiscernible as the bottom of a murky pond. It felt like he was in that pond; something liquid but not quite wet leaked around his arms and head, seeping through the material of his ripped tunic and clinging to his skin. It was almost nonexistent, that feeling, and it took him more than a few moments to realize that it was blood.

His blood.

The fingers that almost seemed to be a part of someone else twitched, and it brought him no agony. Then his arm, which gave no sign of injury. Confused, he began to move his shoulder, certain now that the blood wasn't, in fact, his, but the life fluid of another to whom this distorted world belonged.

And he screamed. There was a sudden flurry of movement and a shady blur hovered over him, something soft being pressed gingerly but firmly to the gash that flowed crimson near his neck. It was silent, for a moment, and in that moment the pain began to slowly recede. He could feel himself being pulled back into the abyss, drifting towards it like the line of a fishing pole being brought to bear. A choked, whispered plea reached his acute ears.

"Please don't die." His fingers twitched again, almost as if in response to the foreign prayer, and a gasp announced the sudden and forceful removal of that thing pressed against his shoulder.

A moment of quiet, and then, sounding almost frightened… "Link?"

Ah, so that was his name. He had almost forgotten, in the cloud that fogged his mind. And with that answer came a question.

"Where…are…we?" A wheezing cough shook his lungs in a vice grip, shaking his already decimated body to the core.

"We're outside the Arbiter's Grounds." Another moment of quiet. "Do you remember anything?"

Was that Midna? It had to be. No one else would be out in the desert with him. The imp's small, dark body floated nearby, and if he struggled he could just make out the bizarre but fascinating color of her eyes.

"No." Another winded cough, and before he could breathe something was pressed to his cracked lips. He choked and struggled, some instinct welling up inside him to resist, before a none-too-gentle rap of tiny knuckles atop his head ceased his fighting. Midna made an audible sound of satisfaction as he drank.

"Good, you can still talk." And that thing was pressed to his shoulder again. Link could feel the soft contours of a slightly coarse material rubbing against his skin. He winced.

"What…is that?"

"A piece of your tunic. Now shut up, and concentrate on breathing. I can't have you dying on me, not yet."

Link couldn't help but smile, despite the morbidity of that statement. Midna would be Midna.

"Why are we…out here?"

He couldn't make out her form clearly, but she gave a distinguished pause in her movements before resuming her chore. "A ReDead." She declared obliquely. "It nearly beat you to death. I couldn't get it off you before it took a bite out of your shoulder. I warped us out here."

Link shuddered. He hated those foul things, and he was suddenly absurdly grateful he couldn't remember anything.

Midna abruptly gave a great outcry of frustration, throwing the torn piece of green cloth aside. "This is hopeless," she growled, white entering his vision as she pulled her lips back menacingly to show her wickedly sharp teeth gleaming in the new moonlight. Her glare was solely for the wound that was the cause of her recent troubles. "I'm taking you to Kakariko. That shaman can do a better job than I can." His vision was filled with black and pale as she rose up into the air, preparing to warp the both of them to the dusty village all the way across Hyrule. Link experienced a moment of sheer panic and lunged for her tiny arm, ignoring the screaming agony in his shoulder with a solid determination.

"No!"

"_No_? What do you mean, 'no'? You can't tell me what to do! I'm taking you to Kakariko!"

"You can't—" His tirade was cut short as another hacking fit seized him, and she hastily flew to his side, hanging hopelessly as she examined the wound that was oozing a continuous flow of blood.

"It's useless," she said desolately, sluggishly falling out of the air until she came to rest by his side. "It's infected." Without warning she exploded angrily. "That damn ReDead! You're going to die out here, you brainless idiot; I have to take you to Kakariko. Don't tell me it's infected your brain too, or else we'll really be screwed!"

He shook his head, reaching up with his good hand to poke at the edge of the bite tenderly. "You can't," he said, stopping for a moment to cough briefly. His vision was starting to dance, and he saw growing black spots that certainly weren't Midna. "You'll be seen, and they'll probably mob you. I won't take that chance."

Midna looked as if she was going to argue, but with a unexpectedness that surprised him she seemed to deflate, her head falling forward until her 'crown' was touching the sand. She sounded tearful.

"You stupid human. I guess you all aren't so obedient after all."

**

* * *

A/N: (Edited) No longer a one-shot.**


	2. Motivational Irony

**Not So Obedient**

_Disclaimer: Don't own Zelda or TP._

_A/N: I've decided this isn't going to be a one-shot, so here's the next chapter._

**Chapter Two: Motivational Irony**

* * *

The windswept desert sand whipped through the air, stirring in a dance that was almost hypnotizing. Midna watched it lazily, the warmth of the small fire she had managed to create making her cubbyhole in the sand rather comfortable. After a moment she pulled her visible eye away from the scene, turning instead to look at the young man stretched on the ground across from her. Link had passed out close to two hours ago, and he looked mighty uncomfortable, lying halfway on his side and halfway on his back; the wound on his shoulder probably had sand in it, from when he had thrashed about in the throes of a fever soon after he had fallen asleep. With an exasperated sigh she pushed herself out of her makeshift bed and floated over to him, being careful not to wake the boy as she rolled him onto his back and gently prodded the laceration. It did indeed have sand in it, but some water could fix that.

Sad thing was they were in a wasteland. Midna pinched the small bridge of her nose to relieve the tension building there and began to rummage around Link's packs, which she had taken from around his waist to make his rest more comfortable. There was his clawshot, and the spinner they had acquired so recently before this whole mess began. His bow was there as well, but the quiver had been knocked over sometime during his fevered thrashing from earlier. Arrows now spilled across the barren earth, the grains of sand clotting into the feathers at the end. She picked them up and carefully groomed them back to some form of cleanliness, placing the arrows back into the quiver and putting it a little ways away from the hero. It's not like he'd need them anytime soon, anyways, and she'd rather not have to clean up after him again.

She could not find his canteen anywhere. She recalled that he had it before that ReDead attack, and with a growing sense of dread she realized it had probably been sent skittering to the floor in the ensuing struggle. Midna was not inclined to return without Link to back her up, but she needed that canteen and the water it held. It was bad enough that the wound was infected; it didn't need to be dirty, too.

Midna pinched the bridge of her nose again and rose, raising her hand to begin weaving her unique brand of magic. She glanced over at Link once more, an unwillingly fond sneer pulling at her mouth.

"You just can't take care of yourself now, can you?" Link twitched at the sound of her voice and she let out a sniff as he mumbled something under his breath. "Yeah, you just keep complaining. See if I clean that sand out for you."

* * *

The inside of the Arbiter's Grounds were gloomy, and even with her Twilight-accustomed eyes she couldn't see beyond her outstretched hand. It had been dim during the day, only the torches really lighting up the place, but now in the dead of night everything was black as death, the torches as cold and desolate as the land outside. Midna wasn't frightened of small places, nor was she apprehensive about the dark, being a Twili, but something about the atmosphere in here seemed foreboding.

But she was just being silly, of course. It was only because she was alone, without her wolf to act as guard dog against potential predators. She shivered, keenly remembering the ReDead that had incapacitated Link despite her best efforts to help him.

All she had to do was find the thrice-blasted canteen, she reminded herself firmly in an attempt to calm her shaking hands. Now, where was it?

* * *

She had no idea where she was. She had to have been wandering around for hours in this damned place, chiding herself for not grabbing the map and compass before she had left the fireside. If she hadn't been cursing herself then, she certainly was now.

"Blast it, where _are_ you, you accursed thing?" She mumbled viciously under her breath as her outstretched hands hit another dead end, uneasy about speaking above a whisper. That ReDead must still be around somewhere, and Midna had no intention of drawing it to her with unnecessary noises.

It was another hour before she found anything. She knew she must have been wandering about blindly in circles, bumping into more columns than she could count and barely avoiding more traps than she would have cared to remember. She hit another wall, and with an oath she was about to turn around to start again when her hand brushed against something.

She moved her hand around against the barricade, puzzled. It felt almost like an indention in the wall, and she pawed around wildly for a few moments before she realized what it was.

Blessed Twilight, it was a door!

"Finally!" She set about attempting to open it, which considering her size was no easy task, but at last she heard something click and rumble in the rock and the earthen barrier gave way beneath her insistent fingertips, causing her to careen into the room uncontrollably. She was sent tumbling out of the air, and with a quiet shriek she skidded across the floor on her stomach, finally coming to a stop as her crown bumped unceremoniously into the opposite wall.

"Ow…"

Her vision was dancing, and it took more than a few moments for her to regain her bearings. When she did she sat up, shaking her head softly in an attempt to ease the suffering there. It was pitch black, and to her dismay she realized she had no idea where the door was.

"Wonderful." She said aloud sarcastically, forgetting in the distress of the moment to keep her voice down. Something in the corner five feet away stirred and Midna froze, her eyes slamming to a stand-still upon the slowly moving object. A low moan resounded throughout the small chamber.

_Oh sweet Twilight! Anything but that!_

The ReDead was standing, unfurling in a disgusting imitation of a person. She didn't need to be able to see to know it was looking right at her.

_Okay Midna, don't panic. Just find the door._ But she had no idea where the door was. _Where's the door!?_

The ReDead moaned again and she couldn't help the small screech that issued out of her throat. It began to move towards her.

_Where's the door!? It has to be here somewhere. _She groped around on the wall behind her desperately, but she didn't feel the tell-tale gap that indicated the door was there. She realized with a sincerely unwelcome burst of certainty that it was on the other side of the room.

And the ReDead stood between them, inching towards her and raising that heavy looking mace…

She darted to the side like a cornered rabbit when the hunk of wood and metal came crashing down where she stood, forgetting completely in her mindless panic that she was capable of flying, of anything other than fleeing sightlessly. She scrambled along the uneven stones of the floor, scraping her tiny hands and knees as she rushed towards where she hoped the door was. And if it wasn't there…

_Screw the canteen! I'm leaving this madhouse!_ It occurred to her, in one of the most inconvenient and ironic moments of her life that _Link_ would never run from a ReDead.

_Look what happened to _him_! Shut up, stop thinking. RUN!_ The ReDead was getting closer, and it seemed no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get more than three feet away from it. She plowed straight into the wall and began to mercilessly scratch at it, searching frantically for the door that just _had_ to be there. She found the indent, and with a joy and relief she hadn't known she was capable of feeling she pushed on it.

It didn't move.

Midna felt like crying at that moment, like simply sliding to the ground and sobbing her little ruby and golden eyes out, but instead she pushed even harder on the door, silently pleading with it to open. It still didn't budge.

The ReDead was not two feet from her, now. She could feel the tiniest wisps of its rattling breath on her neck and she slumped to the ground, knowing there was no way out. Her hand fell to the floor, and in that instant bumped up against something. She hastily scooped it up, wishing silently for it to be some form of weapon she could use, but it turned out to be the most unlikely thing possible.

It was the canteen, unscratched from its trials in the fire and brimstone world she had walked willingly into. She laughed suddenly, unable to take the sudden mockery in this. She was tempted for a moment to wave the canteen at the ReDead and offer it a drink, since it looked like it could use the magic of liquid to soothe its dusty bones, but then with an even more incredulous burst of laughter she comprehended how stupid that was; and how stupid _she_ was, for forgetting she _had_ magic to use.

The ReDead was bearing down on her now, most likely thinking she couldn't escape. She raised her free hand and began to weave the portal, but before she left she couldn't help but smirk at the corpse.

"You'll have to work for your supper." And she was gone.

* * *

She reappeared in a swirl of black particles at the camp and she collapsed to her knees, gasping in as much fresh air as her lungs could handle and wincing as the small grains rubbed into her oozing scrapes. A noise from her left made her jump like a skittish cat and she whipped about, her hand raised in case she needed to portal out again.

But there was no need. Link sat up across from the fire, staring at her with an equal mixture of confusion and amazement.

"What happened to _you_?" The disbelieving question almost made her break right there and then. She threw the canteen at him before shakily stalking off to her little cubbyhole, which in her long absence had become filled with sand. She growled as she began shoveling it back out.

"Midna…?"

"I told you I wasn't going to clean it for you."

**

* * *

A/N: That was an interesting chapter…Kind of fun to write, actually. It might seem a bit out of character, but put yourself in that situation with no -real- way to defend yourself against something you saw take down your 'guard dog' and see how well you take it. :P I knew she could have warped out at any time, and she knew that too, but it's fun to see people make silly mistakes, even if they are Midna. Despite how random this chapter may seem it will actually be kind of important later, so keep this in mind.**

**But that was truly entertaining. I got to terrorize Midna, bless her little grey heart. :P And that last line in the ReDead scene is from the original Resident Evil, which I felt was rather appropriate. That and it just seems like something she would say. I don't think I've ever really done two chapters in one day, so be happy. And I do hope to continue this, though I may have to take a break every once in awhile for school and such.**


	3. Unskilled

**Not So Obedient**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TP, though if I did it definitely would have ended differently. (Midna/Link, whoo!)_

**Chapter Three: Unskilled**

* * *

It was far later in the night when Midna slowly and groggily sat up. Her eye, which was still sandy from sleep, automatically came to rest on the wounded hero laying on the opposite side of the fire, which had burned down to bare embers during her lack of attention. The blankets that she regularly kept in her 'pocket space' were draped liberally over him, and she was thankful to see he wasn't shivering. She levered herself out of her cubbyhole, sand falling from her in waves from where it had fallen upon her from the winds. She rubbed at her visible eye with a tiny fist, a great yawn stretching her mouth wide to reveal the fangs within. She grunted in irritation at having woken up, even as she moved closer to their admittedly pathetic pile of firewood. She picked up the nearest piece, one that wasn't too large, and threw it onto the rapidly dying flames without preamble, entranced as the fire roared with renewed vigor and embers sparked out onto the sand around her. She rubbed at her eye again and moved closer to Link, pulling the blanket away from his shoulder to check his injury. The one eye went wide.

The wound, despite having been cleaned out with her hard-earned water and clumsily wrapped with a thin strip of the hero's white undershirt, was showing unmistakable signs of further infection. She growled with refreshed agitation, poking at the edge of the gash with no real gentleness. Link shifted in his slumber, his brows drawing together in discomfort. She pulled away and let the blanket fall back into place, sitting back from him in contemplation.

She was unskilled in the way of healing. Twilight, she could hardly nurse _herself_ when she was injured, let alone someone whose species was different from hers! She pinched the bridge of her nose, something that was becoming a rather distasteful habit, and looked over his injury again.

They had no more potions. She had used the last in order to keep the stupid man _alive_, and she couldn't possibly go and purchase more in her current form, even if she had been willing to let Link out of sight; to leave him out here in his current state of helplessness. She pounded on the ground, grains of sand flying from the force of the blow, however small. She wasn't equipped to do this; she wasn't _good_ _enough_ to do this! She needed help, and in her current state there was no help to be gotten.

"Stupid girl," she chided herself in self-disgust, "if you didn't look like this there wouldn't be a problem!" She rose suddenly, kicking at the sand beneath her. It flew into the air once more, and she watched it dispassionately as it swirled in the wind. Like that, it almost looked like one of the small sandstorms that frequented Kakariko, when the wind picked up and began to howl—

_Kakariko! Oh, you stupid, stupid _imp_, how could you have forgotten?!_

Renado. _Renado_ could help; he was a shaman, and knew more about healing than she was capable of grasping. A small grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as she floated closer to Link, eying the area around him closely. She could teleport him to the village—surely no one would be around to see, not at this time of night—and Renado would be able to help him. She couldn't even begin to think of why she hadn't done this before. The thought that Link had mentioned it before but she had dismissed it tickled at the corner of her mind, but she waved it away with cool, exasperated disdain. Now was _not_ the time to play the Blame Game.

Midna took the next few minutes to gather the hero's belongings, which were strewn about the small camp with no hint of order or tidiness, and to tuck them into her 'pocket space' for safekeeping. She hesitated before taking the blankets from him and tucking them away as well, noting with a most uncharacteristic squirm of guilt that Link immediately began to shiver.

'_It's too cold out here for him. Got to hurry up._'

* * *

It was a simple matter to warp him to the dusty shores of the Light Spring in Kakariko. She smiled as he reformed beside her, tiny black particles coming together to coalesce as her wolf. The wound looked even worse in his lupine form, and he let out a low whine of discomfort. She sighed before using her magic to extract the crystal, his furry body receding back into his human form with an awkward and obviously pained jerk. She gently rolled him over onto his stomach with a further wince of guilt, her best attempt to keep the dirt out of the wound on his shoulder. She floated back, gave him a once over, and nodded.

The door to Renado's home never looked more inviting to her as she approached it, essaying up to the small window to peer cautiously within. To her utter relief Renado was awake, poking at a dying fire within a primitive hearth with a long, sturdy stick. She sucked in a quick breath, a happy, proud giddiness flowing up from some unknown depth within her. There was still a _chance_!

But she couldn't let him see. Oh, Twilight no, she couldn't let him _see_. She frowned disparagingly as this new problem reared its ugly brow, but with a stiff, regal determination she beat it back down into the depths. She floated from the window, taking a deep breath, and sidled up to the door. She raised one tiny, twilit fist, steadied herself, and then beat upon the wood harshly. All sounds of shifting about within ceased immediately, and her keen ears picked up on the soft _thump _of his leather moccasins beating along the ground. She bolted from the door in sudden panic, pooling herself into a shifting, menacing shadow upon the dirt as the door flew open.

Renado stood haloed from the dim firelight within, and through that light she could make out the suspicious, mildly confused expression upon his visage as he looked about, spotting no visitor. Midna growled in agitation, silently swearing to herself ("_Why do _I _have to do _everything_ myself?!_—") and passed along the earth at his feet, growling louder to catch his attention.

The man startled and jumped back into his doorway, peering with the caution of trapped prey about for the source of the growl. She shifted further, and his eyes snapped upon the pool of shadow at his feet that was Midna. He gasped quietly, and reached for something beyond her vision. Midna, experiencing a moment of thoughtless panic, backed up suddenly.

Renado took this as an indication that he held the upper hand and stepped out of his door, pulling with him a flaring lantern. It illuminated the ground well, and Midna suppressed a victorious giggle. She darted along the earth, making certain to stay just within the edges of lamplight as she led him towards where Link still lay, shivering and breathing harshly upon the earth.

She melted into his shadow as they reached his location, and with a stunned, sharp intake of breath Renado almost dropped the lamp. He gazed upon the green-clad hero with something approaching horror, before crouching swiftly before him and gently prodding at the wound.

Midna could not suppress the jubilation welling within her, and as Renado rushed back to his home to rouse his daughter to aid him Midna allowed herself a brief moment of vocal expression, an atypical whoop passing by her lips before she could consider what she was doing. Renado, who had made his way back to Link, paused and looked around briefly before dismissing it with a shake of the head. He maneuvered the hero around before lifting him carefully, grunting slightly under the dead weight. Midna kept to Link's shadow, another, silent series of giggles seizing her as the two inside set about caring for him immediately.

She couldn't help it. She had _made it_! It served as proof; she could get along just fine without Link, her wolf or not.

* * *

**A/N: No, this is not the end. There are still a few more chapters. I had a bit of trouble, seeing as how I had to get into the mindset for writing this chapter before I could write it. No biggie, though, I'm back in action. Next chapter I'm thinking about doing it from Link's POV, although I've never tried writing as TP Link before. I guess I'll give it a shot. **

**And KRP, I swear, you read my mind and typed out what you saw there in your review. You were dead on, however creepy that is. Perhaps I'm losing my ability to be cryptic? Also, sorry for taking so long with the update; I had trouble with my main story, too, and ACiH is my top priority at the mo. NsO takes second place, sadly, though I still love it.**

**P.S.: I have finally re-discovered my absolute **_**love **_**of writing from Midna's POV. I've found she's very much like me. I guess it makes it easier.**


	4. Potency

**Not So Obedient**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TP, though if I did it definitely would have ended differently. (Midna/Link, whoo!)_

**Chapter Four: Potency**

* * *

Midna was becoming intensely irritated. At first she had thought taking Link to Renado had been a wonderful, genius idea; something that could only have sprung from _her_ brilliant mind. The longer she loomed in his shadow and watched the events around her take place, however, the less convinced she was of her own brilliance—which was a terrible ordeal for Midna to suffer through, as _anyone_ could tell you; really!

Midna bared her teeth threateningly at the girl kneeling by Link's side, concern written across her face, though she still didn't know who he truly was. Her annoyance with this tedious farm girl grew with every second she continued to breathe within Midna's immediate vicinity, and the imp was sure if the girl didn't leave soon she would do something drastic to scare her off.

She couldn't explain it, but the girl's presence around Link grated at her nerves worse than anything she had ever experienced before in her _entire life_. The girl hadn't bothered her much before the Arbiter's Grounds, oddly; in fact, Midna hadn't given the girl the grace of her acknowledgement, only aiding Link with finding her because he had been so _hell-bent_ on it. They had never discussed the relationship the two shared, and Midna had no wish to bring up such a topic with him. More as likely it would make her physically ill, hearing him bemoan over the lost memories of his childhood love.

The imp rolled her eyes, battling back the urge to gag at the mushy image in her head. Her lip curled in disdain of the blonde, sitting there and dabbing away at the hero's forehead as if it would somehow make him feel better. Link didn't need _her_; he needed _Renado_! He needed _real healing_, not the useless _coddling_ this _child_ was bestowing upon him. With every passing hour the wound grew worse, more irritated, more inflamed, and Renado had left three hours previously for a reason relatively unknown. The only thing Midna knew was that he had gone in search of herbs, herbs only found in the mountains, and that he took his daughter with him—whom Midna would have _immensely preferred_ over Ilia for the job of watching over Link.

Midna growled exasperatedly, her tiny fingers curling into claws as she watched in forced silence. She couldn't reveal her presence to the others, but Twilight-_damned_ if she didn't want to frighten the hell out of her…

Midna could give no explanation for her feelings. The only thing she could reason was that something deep and hidden within her protested Ilia's treatment of Link; as if it wasn't her _right_. Granted, Midna knew not whose right it was, but that didn't change the fact that it wasn't _Ilia's_.

It also didn't help that Link appeared oblivious to _everything_. He would only every once in a while shift about, give a small moan of pain, and then fall back into the abyss of unconsciousness. And he was damned _lucky_. Midna would have torn into him if he was awake and actually _allowing_ this. The girl was probably just making it _worse_…

Midna huffed and looked away, unable to watch anymore. The aggravation was overflowing now, and the part of her in which Zelda's graciously given soul lay advised her rash action would not be wise. Midna mentally scoffed back at her, derisively stating that she would certainly not lose control of her _actions_, but it was hollow of meaning, and Midna knew she was right. Revealing herself, even if for the pleasure of traumatizing the lass, was not the ideal move. It would only put more pressure and suspicion on Link, of which there was already much. Yes…it was best if she merely remained hidden.

Didn't mean she had to like it, though. Hours continued to tick by, and Midna's overwhelming hostility towards the other woman simply festered. Morning had already peeked through the window, spilling across the floor of the hut and forcing Midna to huddle closer to Link, for fear of the light ejecting her from the shadows. This served to instigate her frustration further, her space allotted for movement becoming confined to a few feet by Link's side.

Not that she minded. It gave her plenty of allowance to lurk closer, keeping a sharp eye on what Ilia was doing. It wasn't that she was afraid the girl would _try _anything; not with Link in his current state, even if she recalled the (rather disgusting) budding romance between the two. Or, at least, Midna preferred to think she wouldn't. Link always went on about her being a sweet girl, seemingly incapable of any wrongdoing. As much as the description sickened the imp she was depending on his judgment of her right now. If he had been wrong…

Ah, but it wouldn't matter now. The creaking of wood opening and shutting announced the returned of the shaman and his daughter, and Midna about leapt for joy as Ilia turned from Link to greet them. At _last,_ her attention was on something _else_…

But of course, it didn't last long. Renado, kneeling before the fire in the center of the chamber motioned for Ilia to continue vigil over the hero. The shaman himself went about preparing medicine with the herbs he had gathered, having Luda go about gathering the required materials. She brought the mortar and pestle to her father and Ilia once before kneeled beside Link, and Midna could _hear_ the grinding of her own teeth.

The Ordonian children had since been sent out of the hut, moved to take up residence with Barnes near the Bomb Shop when Link had first been brought in. They had wanted to help, of course, but Renado had ushered them along with a stern warning not to come in to see him without permission.

Midna was secretly grateful. They irritated her, seeing as she had never liked children to begin with, and she _knew_ that they would find some way of encumbering Link's recovery. She knew Renado's reason to be slightly different, though. The shaman was soft; he didn't want the children to see their hero in such a horrible state, didn't want them to see the blood and infection.

Midna rolled her eyes mildly, feeling the lengths were unnecessary. They would all see something like that eventually. She had never understood the Light-dwellers' need to shield their children from such things. It would only worsen the experience later, in her knowledgeable opinion.

* * *

Night had fallen. Midna was pleased with this, since shadows lengthened to allow her more room to roam about the hut. Link still dwelled within his coma; sweat streaking his face. Renado had administered the herbal medicine hours ago, but it had made only a little difference. His fever had come down, but by no means had it broken. In further effort to bring the fever down Renado had removed the green tunic, leaving the long white undershirt for decency's sake.

Midna giggled briefly, resisting the temptation to sneak up to Ilia and whisper things in her ear that would surely make her blush. Sure, it may give her _ideas_, but Twilight reigned currently, and it was now that Midna possessed the most power. She could easily steer the girl away, without even revealing herself.

Midna smirked as she moved closer to Link, remaining melded to his shadow. A cool cloth rested upon his forehead, and every once in a while Luda or Ilia would approach, taking it, wringing it out, submerging it briefly in ice water before replacing it upon his brow. Midna didn't mind it so much now, since both girls took up the task. That, and she had reservations about Luda carrying any potentially unsavory thoughts about _her_ wolf, unlike _another _girl…

It was still another hour until Renado was to give Link the remainder of the batch of medicine, and the shaman was currently back up in the mountains, gathering more herbs. At least he had the common sense to leave Luda behind, this time…

Still, the medicine was having little effect. The inflammation had gone done some, yes, but it would be back within hours. Midna had been tempted to jump out of the shadows just long enough to scribble a hasty note saying '_POTIONS WORK_', but even if she hadn't been seen, she didn't know the written language of the Light-dwellers, and she doubted they could understand Twilit letters. It also wouldn't be wise to spring about before them to give them directions; more than likely someone (probably Ilia, the stupid girl) would attempt to beat her about the head with a pan, or some such nonsense.

'_Too bad, girl,_' Midna thought smugly to the blonde sitting near her spot in the shadows, wiping sweat from Link's face, '_I'm wearing a _helmet'

That didn't change the fact that something had to be done. If Zelda was still around Midna would have taken her wolf to the princess immediately, threat of Zant or not, but as it was Zelda's soul rested safely within her, unable to give aid.

Wait…

Midna felt the urge to slap herself, and slap _hard_. If Zelda's soul—and subsequently her magic—rested within her, was it really a stretch of the imagination to think that she could, perhaps, channel that power? Midna herself was a being that relied almost exclusively upon her abilities, and she was certainly strong enough to handle it. She held misgivings about channeling Light magic, but if Zelda's soul was within her, and she held immunity to Light, well…She didn't really think it would leave a mark. Or at least, too _bad_ a mark…

She looked at Link, considering seriously. It _could_ work. It would probably hurt like seventeen devils, but given the look of that bite in her wolf's shoulder, would it really be that bad? He was already suffering from something that was probably worse. Midna pursed her thin lips, feeling an errant fang brushing against them sharply. Her tiny fingers tapped her chin in thought, crown pushing heavily upon her head as she tilted her it upon her hand. It _could_ work…Emphasis on 'could', though.

Ah, to hell with reservations. Link had already been reckless; she felt that gave _her_ full license to be so, too. Besides, when had she ever seriously put thought into something? (Not counting her brilliant idea of using Link to get to the Mirror, of course.)

Midna grinned a wide, devilish grin, and from deep within her Zelda protested vehemently, attempting to shield her magic from Midna. It wouldn't matter how hard she tried, though; Midna had control over the body. Besides, Link was _always_ risking himself for her sake, she stated impishly to Zelda, twisting the noble cause to her advantage. '_It's about time I repaid him, don't you think?_'

She heard Zelda sigh heavily within her head, and her grin widened as she watched her wolf breathe softly in his sleep.

* * *

**A/N: And Midna prepares to stir up more trouble. And she's incredibly hostile towards Ilia, but eh, that's how I read her character. Have I mentioned how glad I am to be back? Yeah. Well, I am, and here's a second chapter within three days to prove it. Keep in mind; although I don't like Ilia myself, all the bad thoughts about her are purely Midna's. She'll become conscious of her own jealousy later (and **_**yes**_**, Midna, you're jealous:P ) But for now she's simply irritable. **

**And yes, Zelda's soul makes her appearance…I've always thought that they communicated with each other during the time they shared one body, battling it out over different opinions, what to do, etc. It was fun, too.**

**Oh, yes; and I apologize for it being short.**


	5. In Way of Determination

**Not So Obedient**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TP, though if I did it definitely would have ended differently. (Midna/Link, whoo!)_

**Chapter Five: In Way of Determination**

* * *

Midna decided now was the perfect time to set her plan in motion.

There would be no better opportunity for it. With some maneuvering on her part (bumping the last of the medicine onto the floor with a shatter once everyone's backs were turned) she had managed to get both Renado and Luda out of the hut; scrambling to return to the mountains and scrounge up more herbs for healing. Ilia had remained behind, much to Midna's chagrin; but with a wicked grin and much pleasure the imp easily concocted a way to get her out.

It was simple enough. The girl's mind was already fevered with amnesia; no one would believe her when she claimed a monstrosity leapt from Link's shadow to smother her with its vile black sorcery.

And it had worked, too. The idiot had run screaming with absolute terror from the house, arms waving and tears running down her face from fright. It was the single most entertaining thing Midna ever had the excellent fortune to witness, but she dare not bask in it too long. With efficiency she dragged as much furniture as possible before the door (there wasn't much, to tell the truth.) in order to form a sort of blockade. With the little furnishings remaining she had blocked off the windows; cutting the light from the room. Even in the near darkness Midna could see, and with a sense of accomplishment she floated closer to Link's prone form.

His fever was still absurdly high; Midna felt brief, intense regret over destroying a good part of his medicine supply, but it had been necessary to get them to leave the house.

She breathed in deeply.

**You ready for this, **_**Twilight Princess? **_Midna asked of Zelda in her customary snide tone.

'_Do not damage any chance of this succeeding, Midna,_' the princess's soul returned swiftly, a small bubble of turmoil marring her sea of serenity.

**Don't worry your pretty little head. This'll hurt me a lot more than it'll hurt him. Or you, for that matter.**

It was this that made Zelda hesitate on the issue. It wasn't that she felt Midna was too selfish to go through with such a thing; on the contrary, her counterpart had shown an extraordinary selflessness, suffering through the torment of her people in order to remain with them, moving to save the Light World.

Midna scoffed at her thinking.

**Don't make it out to be something it isn't, Zelda. This isn't for you.**

Zelda was well aware.

**It doesn't matter, anyhow. We doing this thing or what?**

The Princess agreed, and Midna readied herself.

It was a relatively simple procedure to go about. They had discussed it the whole of the previous night, brainstorming over how to accomplish their mission. It wouldn't prove an easy task, however simple; they both were of two distinctly separate realms, each dealing in the magic contradictory to the other's, and thus harmful to themselves.

But, as Midna had stated, what better option did they have? The medicine only served to slow the infection; by no means would it cure the malady. Zelda had reluctantly agreed, after petitioning for the retrieval of water from a Light Spirit spring.

Midna had immediately vetoed that idea. In her current state the Spirit would do naught but attack her, and then there would be nothing left with which to possibly save Link.

And that brought the fused pair to where they were at present. Midna hovered a few inches away from Link; her rotund white and black belly at level with his arms. She stretched out her lanky arms to cover the area above his chest; tiny fists curling and uncurling in preparation for the torture ahead.

'_Are you prepared for this, Midna?_' Zelda inquired one last time; concern over the imp's well being but knowing within her heart that Midna had no intentions of turning back.

Midna simply closed her visible eye, her fingers curled tightly. She took a deep breath…

And opened the floodgates.

Midna's 'floodgates', as she had long since termed them, was what kept her magic reigned tightly within her; keeping them from lashing out of control. Every magically inclined being held such natural inhibitions within them; Midna's were simply meant to contain her Twilit sorcery.

However, it was an entirely different story where Zelda was concerned. Her magical inhibitions contained and controlled her Light magic, which was thoroughly incompatible with that of Shadow. The act of Zelda channeling her power through Midna was not nearly as elegant as the wording implied.

It wasn't so much 'channeling' as forcefully shoving her Light magic through Midna's veins, past the inhibitors not meant to work it and into her hands for her to make use of. Midna, a being of the Twilight, was easily susceptible to permanent damage from such a deed. More or less it ached a slow burn to start; and the longer Zelda forced her magic through Midna's body the worse the burning became, until it was like scorching fluid sticking to her insides like cemented paste.

Midna bit down hard on her tongue; the coppery taste of blood filling her mouth as she struggled not to scream. The channeling had only just reached her elbows, and she broke out in a cold, heavy sweat as the magic inched its way sluggishly through her arms. It was a slothful, agonizing process, something that hadn't been attempted in millennia.

By the time it reached her hands Midna was fairly sure she was crying. She couldn't tell for certain; her face was numb, the cramps generated by the extreme effort of her facial muscles to work her jaws rendering her incapable of further expression. Her arms were shaking, and she could feel the power burning acid through her blood.

Zelda was fairing no better. While not in excruciating torment like her Twilit host, the strain from forcing her very essence through the imp was putting tension on her already weakened soul.

Midna bit down anew on her tongue; fairly sure she wouldn't be able to speak for the rest of the day, nor taste anything for a week.

The magic reached her fingertips; Midna felt a sob shake her throat, but she held on, determined to succeed. She could _hear_ Zelda give a heave under her breath as she forced her power past the limitations of Midna's physical body, into the air above the hero.

It fell slowly, like pollen on a breeze. It wafted this way and that, falling like a feather to land on his stained white undershirt. It glowed, briefly, a golden glimmer. Midna was sweating as harshly as before, but at this point she couldn't see clearly. Her stomach was rebelling against the foreign substance coursing through her, and she struggled vainly not to vomit up on him, for risk of ruining the whole ritual.

Midna's sobs had begun to subside; the intensity of the burning hitting such a pitch that verbal pronouncements from her were rendered impossible. Her arms, shaking before, now wobbled with the effort of keeping them aloft.

The glow was sifting away, the 'pollen' phasing through his clothing and into his skin. It took on a healthier color; more akin to the tone it had been before the whole ordeal had begun.

Midna tried to smile at the obvious success her plan had achieved thus far, but the frozen muscles of her mouth rejected the movement. Instead she concentrated on staying aloft in the air herself; the energy it took to stay above the ground being sapped out of her at an incredible pace.

The infection was fading. Not swiftly; but the crusty, discolored edges began to recede, revealing the flesh that had been hidden beneath. It took several moments, and those moments stretched into minutes, until finally the wound itself was all that was left. The healing dug deeper, eliciting an anguished groan from the elf, but Midna pushed harder with what was still left in her. The wound, once the shade of rotting meat, began to turn back to the pallor normal for a bite wound; and slowly, slowly, the skin itself began to patch back up; the infection gone and nothing left but the flesh wound itself.

Midna could hardly breathe. Every particle of her screamed for a surcease from the action, and even Zelda began to cry out against further output.

Midna could barely bring herself to listen. She wasn't about to call it quits, after days of frustration on her part over the injury, to stop when it was so close to closing.

Harsh, grating knocks beat strongly against the barricaded door, forcing a slight jerk of her arms in surprise. Some distant part of the imp took notice of it, but the recklessness she felt held dominance, and she continued, even as Zelda began to pull her magic away.

The imp started when the pollen-like substance ceased sprouting from her fingers. She gazed at them, incredulous at the blurry images before her eyes. Zelda was pulling still harder; reeling her magic back through Midna like a fishing pole being brought to bear. The magic swept up her arms, quickly, through her until it vanished completely; utterly unlike the listless journey it had made through her by way of melting before.

But the burning remained, and it did not dim. She still could not see clearly, and her stomach was fighting with every breath to reveal itself to the world.

The beating on the door grew more distinct, and frantic voices quickly joined the cacophony. Midna felt some small amount of panic flair in her, even as her own energy gave out and she dropped to the floor. She reached futilely for the nearest spot of shadow, that being near Link's head, but she was just out of reach. She didn't have the energy to drag herself closer to it, in order to grasp it. Midna barely had the energy to lift her head, the body part feeling a thousand times heavier than ever before.

Midna let her crown drop back to the dusty floor; arms falling from their outstretched pace to land before her. She simply didn't have the energy to reach.

She blacked out the sound of the furniture shifting as someone began forcing their way in, and to a startled and concerned exclamation that she held no hopes of identifying.

**

* * *

**

**A/N: There. I'm cruel, aren't I:P There's the process. I'm not sure how well I did, but I got exactly what I wanted to get done accomplished, so it's a job well done for me.**

**In answer to any further questions, my calculations tell me there will be maybe one or two more chapters left—maybe three, if I think of a better way to end it.**


	6. Affectionate? I Think Not!

**Not So Obedient**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TP, though if I did it definitely would have ended differently. (Midna/Link, whoo!)_

**Chapter Six: Affectionate? I Think Not!**

* * *

She was riding on something.

That was the very first impression Midna received upon waking. It wasn't that she had consciously come to that conclusion; but having sat on Link's furry back for so long one becomes used to the feeling of forward and back.

She stirred, her visible eyelid twitching and her tiny fingers curling into the fur beneath her palms. She hadn't yet opened her eyes, but she could tell he knew she was awake. A low whine reached her pointed ears, and she instantly forced herself to relax, pretending to still be asleep. It wasn't all that hard; her eyelid refused to peel itself open, her body refusing to acknowledge the blood running through it and preferring to stay in a tingly state of numbness.

He whined again, the muscles of his back working under her as he loped along—where, Midna couldn't tell. He waited for her response, but when he received none he slowed, eventually padding out to a complete halt in their march.

Midna internally groaned; screwing her eye shut all the tighter in the hopes he would continue moving along. The action made her head hurt, her mind reel, and with a real, all too audible groan she buried her face into the thick mat of fur rubbing against her cheek. She refused to acknowledge him.

His whining turned into a growl. She couldn't see, but by the warm, salty air brushing against her eye she knew he had turned his head to look at her. She continued to feign sleep, knowing it to be all too fruitless.

He growled again, this time more insistently. Once again she refused to answer, and just when she felt he would give under her stubbornness the world tilted around her. She yelped indignantly, the sound raw and grating as the fur disappeared from under her to be replaced by dirt and grass. Her fingers contracted unnaturally against the dewy foliage, her nostrils full of the smell of earth.

And with that smell came other things, too. The soft chorus of crickets caught her ears, previously unheard, and with a few moments of fuzzy deduction she realized it was late in the evening. Link nudged her impatiently but gently with his muzzle, refusing to give up his pursuit of her attention. With much effort Midna raised a sleepy hand and tried to bat him away, receiving nothing but a snort in her face for the endeavor.

"G'away," She murmured tiredly into the grass, working to move her jaw correctly with the sounds. "I'sleep."

A whiny series of pants followed her proclamation, and she had the faintest feeling he was laughing at her.

That did _not_ sit well with her.

"What you laughing at?" She tried again, righteous anger creeping into her tone. Her words were far more distinct this time around; Midna having shifted her face to the side so she could breathe easier. She was met with a low growl, further insistence for her to wake up fully.

Midna tried again to bat him away, and for several minutes he stayed his distance, silently observing her (or, so Midna assumed; for all she knew he could be chasing his own tail during her absentmindedness.) After that time she could feel him approaching by the vibrations of his paws against the earth, padding closer. She felt the breath on her face again, and was about to tell him where to stick it when she felt something oddly wet and rough against her face.

And _smelly_. It didn't take long for her to figure out what he had done.

Within an instant Midna was fully awake, flinging her aching body up and back to have space to clout him. How dare he _lick_ her?! How…how…disgusting and…just…_urgh_! Who _knew_ what he had been eating during her fainting spell?! Or _licking_, for that matter?!

Her eye opened, a glare already fully formed upon her face. Her eyesight at first was blurry, but with a few blinks it cleared, and with clarity she batted away the tension pulling at her forehead. Link sat back on his haunches, tongue lolling out and a doggy grin tearing his face in two. He eyed her knowingly.

Midna sneered back, an attempt to save face as she wiped the slobber from her cheek with revulsion. She lurched forward: fully intent upon giving him that clout, but an ache well hidden by her moment of adrenaline came crashing back; and instead of smacking him, she smacked into the ground, dirt flying up around her from the force of her fall. Link trotted closer, nose low and curious concern etched across his muzzle. Midna waited until he was a scarce inch from her before lashing out. Link reared back with a start and a yelp, toppling over furiously to get away from her small fist.

"I'm gonna whack you," She growled crossly into the dirt; shaking her head to the side to spit the stuff out of her mouth. "Just you wait. I'll get you for that, you walking bag of bad hygiene, fleas and gods know what else…"

She glared at him still, but the pain coursing through her mixed with her humiliation tamed the fumes rather than inciting them as such feelings normally would, and her eye softened back into its usual form, slightly glazed.

Link regained his footing, moving closer again but keeping well out of range. He cocked his head to the side, regarding her quizzically.

Midna regarded him just the same.

It was taking her awhile to gather her thoughts. The last she remembered before waking up was collapsing from her task, trying to reach the shadow to hide from whomever was pounding away at the door. She didn't know if she had reached it; and the thought that she might have been seen, exposed, sent a tremor of terror through her.

Her eye widened and she forced herself onto her knees, ignoring the soreness of her limbs. She froze when she came eye to eye with her wolf, the canine maintaining a grim expression.

She sucked in a breath, her fangs pricking at her lips.

"Was I…?" She asked quietly, half afraid of the answer he would give. For a while Link remained motionless, but with a swift tide of relief on her part he shook his head, indicating that no; she hadn't been seen.

She sighed, forcing herself back onto her rear. Her reprieve was short lived, however, as a new problem arose.

Just what were they _doing_ out here? Why weren't they back at Renado's?

Midna wished for the answers to these inquiries. Link, perhaps feeling on some wavelength her uncertainty, indicated with a paw and a flicking ear that he wished to turn back.

Midna honestly hesitated, her hand hovering timidly above his muzzle. She wasn't sure whether she was ready to hear whatever it was he had to say, but at this point, it didn't look like she had a choice. He would eventually have to revert back to a Hylian, and the idea of postponing the confrontation for it to be worse later curled her insides sourly.

With a sigh and a swift jerk of her joints black electricity sprung from her tiny fingers, burying deep into Link's skull. He instinctively flinched back, ears pressed to his head and a soft whine pulling his eyes closed with discomfort. She knew it hurt, and it hurt every time, but by now the hero had surely gotten used to it.

After a few heartbeats and a small explosion of black particles Link pushed himself off his knees, falling back on his rear to prop himself up with his hands.

Midna waited, feeling anxiety claw with bloodthirsty eagerness into her stomach. Link simply watched her for a time, eyes half lidded and lazy in contemplation. It wasn't really like him; Midna considered herself the brains of the outfit, and though it might sound cruel any deep, serious thought on Link's part always surprised and troubled her. It just didn't seem possible for such thoughts to come from an uneducated farm boy.

"Midna…"

She sat up fully, lips pressed in a thin line as she awaited her judgment—though the idea of her following it was preposterous.

"Thanks."

Midna opened her mouth, a baker's dozen batch of witty, intelligent retorts dancing on her tongue, ready as arrows to launch and pierce their target through the heart. With a choke and gasp of astonishment she swallowed them back down, her visible eye widening worse than she had thought it was capable of. She'd have to respond to this with the utmost elegance and thought.

"Huh?"

Well, _that_ was surely what she was aiming for. She snapped her mouth shut again, an errant fang pushing past her lips to gleam in the moonlight. Perhaps it was a subconscious effort on her part to look intimidating, but to her infuriation it only seemed to make him smile with something that looked disturbingly like affection.

_Affection? From a _light-dweller_? You must be mad._

Of course, he wasn't just any light-dweller, but the rebuke of her thought was pushed aside hastily. She didn't want to contemplate the paths _that_ thought would follow or what might possibly come of it. She had more important issues to dally over, anyhow.

"Thanks. I don't know what you did back there, but it worked."

Midna couldn't help but sneer, forcing her walls of self-defense up to the breaking point.

"What makes you think it's something _I_ did?"

If possible Link's smile grew ten times wider, more sincere and sickeningly knowing.

"Renado told me it was like a miracle. When he left to get some herbs I was still in a coma and had a high fever, but when he came back I was perfectly fine and up on my feet like nothing happened."

Midna's face didn't change.

"So, tell me again, if you will, what _exactly_ makes you think it was _my_ doing?"

Link looked a bit taken aback, perhaps shocked that she wouldn't admit to it? Take some praise? Fat chance of _that_ happening. She didn't want his gratitude or any undue emotion on his part; she had only been doing what was in her best interest, and that was keeping him alive and well enough to fight for her, and to kill Zant. She repeated this thought to herself as a mantra in her head.

It took him a few seconds, but Link bounced back with another sweet, nauseatingly knowing smile. He played his trump card.

"Ilia told me something jumped out at her from my shadow and chased her out of the house." His expression changed, torn somewhere between amusement, horror and scolding. "What exactly did you _do_ to her? She was crying and talking about evil magic and shadow beasts. Renado had to check the corners of the house before she would come back inside."

Midna felt a wickedly pleased grin crack her face in two, a leer settling on her visage. Link noticed it immediately—not that it was hard to miss—and frowned at her disapprovingly, though there was an odd twinkle in his eyes that she couldn't place.

"I would tell you to apologize but it doesn't look like that's possible at the moment. Still, I know you did—whatever it was you did—and it worked. I was standing up and walking around even as Renado broke down the door."

Midna was glad he didn't ask about the barricades or even better his momentarily missing tunic (which was now cloaking his form), but his statement brought up another question that had begun to plague her ceaselessly.

"You said they didn't see me, but apparently I never made it to your shadow, if you wound up carrying me on your back. What happened? Did you stow me away and smuggle me out?"

She had meant it as a joke, though half-hearted at best. Link flushed nonetheless, eyes darting to the side to avoid her gaze.

She groaned. He wouldn't have…

"Well," he started, looking a bit embarrassed even as he stood by his split-second decision, "they were about to break down the door and you were lying there…what else was I supposed to do? I could only hide you under the blanket and pretend you were my pillow. But it's better than them finding you out, right?"

Midna placed her face in her hands. Things would start rolling downhill if he went on, and she wasn't in the right condition to throw one of her patented Midna-the-Twilight-Princess-damn-you tantrums. She held up a hand to quell any further excuses, and she sighed. Her hand came up to pinch the bridge of her button-like nose, but she froze and forced it down with a grimace. She didn't need to be practicing _that _particular habit.

"It doesn't matter," she said at last. She made no move to get up, now thoroughly enjoying the feel of cool grass against her mildly hot skin. It seemed she had a fever of her own, now, and the grass was a pleasant feeling, though she'd be damned if Link ever found out. "We'll stay here tonight and tomorrow we'll try to tackle that ReDead again."

Link grinned a bit; his right hand coming to subconsciously poke at his left shoulder where the dotted scars of the bite remained even past healing. At least he could move again.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter should be the last; though there might be one after that, if I feel I can work a better ending in. She doesn't realize she's jealous in this chapter, but it's coming. Probably my favorite part of the whole chapter was the 'pillow' part. I was so looking forward to writing it, but I had to write everything that came before, first. Sadly it feels as though part of this chapter was forced/strained, and it doesn't strike me as exactly what I wanted, but it gets the job done, I suppose. (It also feels as though I've lost my Midna-touch, which is sad because I enjoy writing her.)**

**And this chapter gave me some other serious trouble, too! Anyhow, since this is almost over and I don't want to stop writing Midna/Link I've thought about doing a collection of one-shots based off different sayings or something similar (_'A fool's paradise'_ and _'absence makes the heart grow fonder'_ for a few examples.) I'm going to do it whether people want it or not, simply because I wish to write it. I haven't yet quelled my need for Midna/Link (though I'm starting to think I never will)**

**Hope you look forward to it!**


	7. Epilogue: Secret

**Not So Obedient**

_

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_

**A/N: Ahhh, sorry this took so **_**long**_**. The ending was ever so slightly different the first time I thought of it, but when I was writing something else (this) came out instead. Oh well. I worked it a little bit, and now it's more like what it was in my head.**

**And I now have a twitter! I'm putting a link to it in my profile, where I have all the updates and progress of working chapters posted up. I thought it might be a nice touch, since I have a habit of making my readers wait for the updates without word from me... T-T Sorry about that. Anyhow, last chapter for all of ya. Hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have.**

**

* * *

****Epilogue: Secret**

* * *

She had kept to her oath from five days before. It took them three days and two nights to reach the desert and cross it to the tall-pillared structure: one day to reach the place they had been before Link's run-in with the ReDead.

Of course, they settled the score. Midna, having forsaken riding along in his shadow, simply content to watch him in action was rather enthusiastic to magically hold the creature down while Link hacked it to pieces; both freezing every once in a while when it let loose its piercing scream.

Still, though, they had gotten their revenge; or, that's what Midna thought of it. She would bet a million Rupees Link was thinking only of destroying the creature for the threat it posed to humanity and society in general as all heroes tend to do; though if she had been inclined to notice she might have seen the satisfied grin on his face as he wiped the sticky substance left over on the rough floor, sanding the blade to bring back its shine.

"It's taken care of now," He stated. It wasn't that he thought she didn't know, or was thinking the same thought; but that he was echoing the obvious to cover up the fact…That he had no idea where they were to head next. The Grounds weren't easy to navigate, and humble ranch boy though he was he still had some pride. He wasn't ready to admit it.

Midna gave him her wide, pointed grin, folding her arms behind her head as she hovered on eye level.

"It's taken care of now," She echoed, nodding her head. The great heavy crown that hid her hair tipped forward, and made the action seem clownish.

Link shared her grin, sliding the Master Sword into its sheath. He looked around the small, closed in chamber; trying to seem as though he was only mildly concerned about the maze they found themselves in.

"I wonder which door we should take out there."

Midna shrugged, scratching regally at an inch on her cheek. She hopped near to his feet, pooling into a murky spot in his shadow. Her voice echoed eerily from the dark, dimly lit floor.

"_No idea. Why don't you try to think on your own for once?_"

Link frowned a bit, some of his sense of camaraderie fading. He shrugged it off, though, and left the room, taking the closest door and pushing through it without looking inside first.

Midna rolled her eyes from his shadow, thinking his brush with death hadn't improved his ways in the slightest. She settled back, though, the rhythm of his footsteps lulling her back and forth with the movement.

* * *

"You never did tell me what you did," Link commented after what seemed like a long time; Midna blinked, pulling herself out of her fuzzy daze. She hadn't been asleep; being in a shadow didn't permit such mortal things. She supposed she had zoned out, and she shook herself mentally for doing so on the job. Link was probably snickering over it…

"You don't need to know," She said; and he smiled, perhaps imagining her floating there with her button nose stuck high in the air.

"Whatever. Need your help, Midna."

Midna, ready and willing to respond with one of her old, well-seasoned retorts, peered out of his shadow. They were in a chamber that struck her as faintly familiar; it took her a moment to realize that, though she had never been in this room, it was precisely identical to another they had previously visited.

"E_gad_, not another _Poe_…"

She popped out of his shadow while they were still near the door: safe, for the moment, from the Poe that was sure to lurk inside. She pulled out the crystal and with a few sickening jerks and sprays of black particles Link rested on all fours. Midna flopped onto his back, tugging lightly at his ears, as she was wont to do. The wolf glanced back, cocked his ear, and gave her a doggy-like but quizzical grin.

She could just imagine what he was thinking. '_Where'd you learn to say 'Egad'?_'

She giggled a bit, her roguish sense of humor kicking in. She belted him a bit in the sides with her tiny feet, urging him on into the room to do battle with the creepy specter.

"It's a secret."

Link didn't need to know; would never know, if Midna had her way about it. No doubt the mutt would get mushy, and she didn't need a dog getting attached to her, being the future Queen and all. Besides, what would he think of her then? He would probably be confused; wouldn't understand why she had done it.

Deep in the back of her mind she could feel Zelda smile; hear the other princess echoing the words with a sardonic amusement. Midna could feel the waves radiating off the soul harbored inside of her, knew the not-so-subtle message they were trying to give her, and Midna couldn't help but respond. She was not _jealous_; perhaps a tad possessive, but Link was _her_ wolf, dammit: _her_ ranch boy, _her_ Hero. _She _had found him first, and finder's keepers, loser's weepers, and Ilia fit that category nicely.

Zelda's smile grew just a bit, and Midna mentally growled back at her, though the Light-dweller's good mood was somewhat infectious. Midna found herself smiling and buried her face in Link's fur, ignoring his sudden yelp at the movement, even as he landed back on his feet after a go at the Poe.

'_As I suspected. You're never going to tell him, are you?_' Zelda's soft, whispery voice floated through Midna's head, sad and knowing. Midna didn't need to respond; she knew it wasn't a question, and she knew that Zelda would never tell, never betray Midna's feelings to Link. It was her secret.

_No_, she thought to herself, _it's more than just my secret_.'

Midna thought back, just as Zelda thought to her; perhaps thinking to make a witty joke for once, though Midna had already beaten her to the punch.

'_**It's our little secret.**_**'**


End file.
